The Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club is a group of
like-minded astronomy enthusiasts who appreciate and observe the wonders of our
universe. The CAAC was established in 1954 by local astronomy devotees,
Charlotte Kelly and Forrest Selby who sought to share their experiences with
other individuals in their area. We currently have approximately 150 members of
various experience levels – from the beginner to the most advanced, serving an
eight-to-ten county geography roughly centered on Charlotte, North Carolina.

Each month, club members gather as a group for a meeting to share our night and
day-time sky observing experiences and to hear from speakers who present a
multitude of astronomy related topics to our members in their lectures.

Throughout the year, the Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club sponsors several
community and private events to share our passion of the night sky at star
parties. Here, club members assemble with their telescopes and allow the public
to view the magnificence of the heavens that they have most likely only seen in
books.

The Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club’s greatest physical asset is the "Gayle
H. Riggsbee Observatory" where club members gather under dark skies, away from
bright city lights, to view and photograph celestial objects using their own
personal equipment or one of the club’s three large telescopes.

Mission Statement

To share our passion
for amateur astronomy with the community through education and public outreach
while providing the highest value astronomy club experience for our members. It
is through this sharing process that we will work to build a greater
appreciation of the dark night sky that will help protect its natural beauty
from the encroachment of artificial lighting.

History

In the winter of 1954,
Charlotte Abbott Kelly, the wife of Dr. Luther Kelly Sr., and Forrest
Selby, retired principal of Charlotte Technical High School found that they
shared an intense interest in astronomy. Charlotte had taken astronomy courses
at the University of Virginia where she, as an undergraduate, had operated the
University's large refractor. Forrest had built Charlotte's largest telescope, a
9" Newtonian Reflector, which was mounted at the rear of his home, 200 S. Laurel
Avenue.

The first astronomy meeting was held at Selby's home on April 26, 1954. Later
that year, officers were elected and a club constitution was written and
adopted.